Adjustable spool mounting for wire spooler mechanism



Aug. 1, 111:? D, PMERSON AL I?? ADJUSTABLE SPOOL MOUNTING FOR WIRE SPOOLER MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS I WLZUazmD.Pier wm Ra m QnZEWazIsk (l BY ATTORNEY g- 1939 w. D. PHERSON ET A]. W Z M ADJUSTABLE SPOOL MOUNTING FOR WIRE SPOOLER MECHANISM Filed May 25, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENIURS WiZUmm DaRzerswn. By I FaymwME.Walsk.

% &

mm mm n mm mm mm mm 0% mm 5 m mm wm hm Om mm 00 om m cm 6 |H| Q Q & I w \7 3% um QM 11 h .n I O Q l E Mu l1 6 mm ltll om I m3 mm mm Eu in em 5 mm MQQAN m J w ATTO EV 9 w. D. PIERSON ET AL 7,85

ADJUSTABLE SPOOL MOUNTING FOR WIRE SPOOLER MECHANISM lugw l 4 Sheets-Shed 3 Filed May 25, 1936 W In m? N? INVENTORS William D.Px'cr.som

Aug. 1-,, was

W. D. PIERSON ET AL ADJUSTABLE SPOOL MOUNTING FOR WIRE SPOOLER MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 25, 1936 INVENTORS WiZliamDPjerson- Raymond E. Walsh.

Patented Aug. 1, 1939 UNITED STATEE .hATEN'l' OFFEQE ADJUSTABLE SPOOL MUUNTYNG FOR WERE SPOOLER MECHANISM Application May 25, 1936, Serial No. 81,656

6 Claims.

This invention relates to wire-spooling machines, and more particularly to an improvement in the means for adjustably supporting the spool upon which the wire is wound as it is received from a wiredrawing machine.

In machines of the above nature, the wirereceiving spool is usually supported by a pair of cylindrical center spindles which are disposed within the opposite ends of the bore of the spool. Such spools are usually made of metal or wood, and comprise a pair of end circular flanges between which is a central hollow barrel. The diameter of the central barrel is apt to vary an appreciable amount when manufactured, and 15 also wears larger during continued use. Consequently, a loose fit is often produced on the driving spindle causing rattling, vibration, and noisy operation of the spool, which may result in breakage of the wire, particularly when small sizes 20 are being spooled. On the other hand, if the size of the bore of the spool barrel is too small, the bore must be reamed out to the correct standard diameter,--a time-consuming and expensive operation.

2 By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantages have been overcome.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a pair of self-adjusting tapered plugs adapted to enter the bore at each end of the 30 spool, whereby spools having central bores of various diameters may be accommodated.

Another object is to provide an adjustable spool mounting of the above nature in which the tapered center plugs are spring pressed.

35 A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above nature having means to limit the rear ward movement of each of the spool plugs for preventing said spool from becoming accidentally detached from its mounting.

40 A still further object is to provide an adjustable spool mounting of the above nature which will be relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, and very eificient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, there have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings two forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

50 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a spooling machine upon which this invention has been installed.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through 55 the spool and the supporting means therefor,

the View being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and being shown on a somewhat larger scale.

Fig. l is a longitudinal section similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of adjustable spool mounting, the spool being overhung and supported by one bearing only.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but shown on a much larger scale.

Fig. 6 is a similar enlarged sectional view of 10 the modified form shown in Fig. 4.

A spooling mechanism upon which the present invention may be installed is fully disclosed in a prior patent to Pierson, No. 2,029,832, issued February 4, 1936.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral II) indicates a wire which is delivered to the spooler from a wiredrawing machine, not shown, and which is guided into a spool H by means of a pair of angular fingers I2 between which it is threaded. The guide fingers B2 are adapted to be reciprocated longitudinally above one side of the spool ill by suitable means, not shown, to lay the wire thereon in even layers. The spool II is caused to rapidly rotate by an endless belt I3 which is in driving engagement with the wire on the spool H and passes around the pulleys l4 and i5. As herein disclosed, the pulley I4 is power-driven from a shaft It, to which it is connected, and the pulley it is freely rotatable on a shaft ll carried by a cradle bracket l8, the latter being swingably mounted on the shaft it.

In order to move the belt l3 transversely back and forth across the wire on the spool ll, provision is made of a pair of reciprocable beltshifting members [19.

Spool mounting The spool H is supported by a pair of springpressed center spindles 2t and 2| mounted in casings 22 and 23, respectively. The casing 22 is mounted upon a machine frame member 24, and said casing has a base 25 for receiving bolts it which pass through slots ill in said base for holding said casing 22 in axially adjustable position with respect to said spool H.

The other casing 23 is carried by a depending bracket 23a which is slidably mounted upon a stationary supporting shaft 28 located under said casing, and said bracket 23a is adapted to be clamped upon said shaft 28 by means of a manually operated transverse clamp screw 29.

.As clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, each of the center spindles 20 and 2| is formed and mounted in an identical manner, and therefore, the same reference characters have been used to indicate the corresponding parts thereof. A pair of opposed tapered heads 35 are rigidly secured on the ends of said spindles 2e and 2!, and said heads are adapted to adjustably enter the ends of the center barrel 3| of the spool H for securely mounting it therebetween in operating position. Behind the heads 35 the center spindles 20 and 2| are reduced in diameter to form sliding bear ing portions 32 and outwardly directed shoulders 33. Beyond the bearing portion 32, the spindles 2B and 2| are still further reduced in diameter to form elongated shanks 3d extending outwardly from the shoulders 35. The shanks 34 are herein shown as being threaded at their outer ends to receive nuts 35 but may have collars (not shown) pinned thereon within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Each of the center spindles 20 and 2| is slidably and non-rotatably supported by a sleeve 31 having a bore 38 surrounding said spindles. Each bore 38 is enlarged in diameter as at 39 to receive the shouldered bearing 32 and terminates in an outer shoulder 43, thus providing a confining space for a compression spring 4| which is adapted to engage the shoulders 35 and 40 to constantly urge the center spindles resiliently against the ends of the spool It. The movements of the center spindles 289 and 2| toward the spool under the urge of the springs 4| are limited by the striking of the nuts 36 against the outer ends of the sleeves 31. The inner ends of the bores 38 of the sleeves 31 are still further enlarged as at 42 forming shoulders 43 to receive the tapered heads 39 and against which the shoulders 33 of said tapered heads 30 are adapted to engage for limiting the outward movements of the center spindles 2!] and 2|, and thus preventing said tapered heads from slipping out of the spool bore 3|. Each center spindle may be retained against rotation relative to the sleeve 37 by means of a keyway 42a in the bore section 42, which cooperates with a transverse pin 30a extending from the head 30.

The spindle sleeve 31 is provided with a circular dish-shaped member 44 at its inner or spool end, said member having an annular outer flange 45 extending parallel to the axis of the spindle away from said spool Each dish-like member 44 is provided on its inner face with an annular reduced ring 46 adapted to frictionally engage and drive a pair of end plates 41 formed on the spool N. If desired, a pin 46a may be provided on one or both rings 45 to engage in sockets 41a in the plates 4'! to insure positive rotation of the spool and plates 4'! as a unit.

The end sections 48 of the sleeves 31 are reduced in diameter at 49 to receive the inner ball races 53 or" two sets of ball bearings 5|. One race 53 engages against a shoulder 52 at the inner end of the portion 49, the other race being disposed adjacent the outer end of said portion 49 against a washer 55 which engages a ringnut 53 screwed upon a threaded end 54 provided on the rear end of the sleeve 31. An intermediate spacing collar 55 is disposed on the sleeve 31 between the ball races 50.

The spindle casings 22 and .23 are each provided with inner end plates 51 having central openings 58 therein loosely surrounding the exterior surfaces 48 of the sleeves 31. If desired, an oil retaining ring packing 59 may be provided to seal the space between the plate 51 and the sleeve 31. Each casing 22, 23 is also provided with an outer annular cover plate 60.

Each cover plate 60 has a cylindrical hollow dome portion 8| thereon forming a housing for the end of the respective center spindle 20, 2|. An air vent 32 is provided in the end face of the dome 6|. The plates 51 and 60 are securely clamped in position upon the casings 22 and 23 by a plurality of elongated cap screws 63, and said plates engage the exterior ball bearing races at, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Operation In the operation of the first form of the invention, when it is desired to insert a spool between the center spindles 20 and 2|, the clamp screw 29 must first be loosened and the bracket 23a slid along the shaft 28 as far as it will go. An empty spool may then be positioned with the tapered end of the center spindle 20 projecting into the right-hand bore 3| of the spool II, as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5. When in this position, the spindles 2E] and 2| will be extended toward each other by the spring 4| from their respective casings 22 and 23 to the extent permitted by the nuts 36. The bracket 23a and the casing 23 will then be slid in the opposite direction along the shaft 28, causing the tapered end 30 of the left-hand center spindle 2| to enter the bore 3| of the spool During this operation, the casing 23 and ring 46 will be pushed firmly against the spool to compress both of the springs 4|. While holding the parts in this position, the clamp screw 29 will be tightened to lock the parts in the assembled position shown. It will be un- I derstood that the tapered ends of the spindle plugs 23 and 2| accurately center the spool within the limits of the taper, regardless of variations in the diameter of the bore 3| thereof, and due to the provision of the cooperating stop shoulders 33 and 43, the respective plugs 2|! and 2| can never be forced completely out of the bore 3| by the lateral pressure of the driving belt |3 on the spool or by the pull on the wire |U being wound thereon; i. e., while the spool is clamped between the dish-shaped members 44.

Modified overhung spool mounting In the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 4 and 6, an overhung spool 10 having a center barrel H is mounted between a pair of tapered center sleeve plugs 12 and 13, which in turn are loosely slidable upon a mandrel 14 of the overhanging type, supported in bearings in a single casing I00 located at one end of said spool only. The mandrel 14 is connected to a sleeve shaft 15 which is suitably extended at its rear end 16 into driving connection with a source or" power, not shown. A reduced end 11 of the mandrel 14 is inserted into an end opening 18 in the shaft 15, and the two parts 14 and 15 are connected together by a transverse tapered pin 19.

The outer free end of the mandrel 14 is likewise reduced in diameter and has mounted thereon a collar 8| which is adapted to be detachably secured to said free end 80 by a set screw 82. The collar 8| is provided with a bore 83 which is adapted to have a sliding fit upon the hollow shank 84 of the sleeve plug 12. The set screw 82 extends through a slot 82a provided in the sleeve plug shank 84 which permits relative axial movement between the sleeve plug 12 and the collar 8 while preventing relative rotative movement therebetween. The outer end of the detherefrom to the right.

tachable collar 8| is counterbored at 85 for receiving a stop ring 86 riveted or otherwise secured upon the free end of the shank 84 to prevent the sleeve plug 12 becoming disassembled from the collar 8| The other end of the collar 8! is provided with a counterbore 81 having a shoulden 88 and a cavity 89 in which the center plug 12 may slide, said cavity 89 also housing a compression spring 90. The sleeve plug 12 has a shoulder 91 formed in back of its tapered portion 92, and the spring 953 is held between the shoulders 88 and ill to constantly urge the sleeve plug 12 into the end of the spool barrel H.

The collar BI is also provided on its inner end with an enlarged counterbore 81a forming a shoulder 92a against which the shoulder M of the sleeve plug 12 will engage to prevent said plug l2 from moving completely out of the spool barrel II.

The spool-driving sleeve shaft 15 is provided with an annular recess 93 surrounding the inner end ll of the mandrel 'M. The inner sleeve plug 13 comprises a short tapered collar or sleeve and is slidably mounted upon the reduced end ll of the mandrel 14, being pressed to the right, as viewed in Figs. 4 and 6, by a coiled spring 94 located in said recess 93 to constantly urge the inner sleeve plug is into the spool barrel 1 I.

In order to prevent relative rotative movement, while permitting relative axial movement, between the sleeve plug it and the mandrel 14, provision is made of a transverse pin Ila secured in the reduced portion ii of the shaft l and projecting into a slot lta formed in said center plug 13. The shaft 15 is also provided with a dishshaped end plate 95 which is provided with an annular reduced longitudinal outwardly extending ring 96 adapted to engage one of the end plates ii? and 38 of the spool It. A driving pin 99 is also provided, extending longitudinally from the boss 96 into an opening provided in the adjacent spool end plate 98, by means of which the spool is drivingly connected to the shaft 75.

The sleeve shaft 15 is journaled in the casing me by means of two sets of ball bearings lill spaced apart by a collar l 02 and clamped together between a shoulder H33 on the periphery of the shaft 75 and a ring nut Hi l. A pair of front and rear end plates Hi5 and H36 are also provided in this form and said plates are clamped to the casing by a plurality of elongated cap screws llll. An oil retaining ring packing H33 may be provided to seal the space between the plate II 05 and the shaft 15. The rear end plate 5% has a rearwardly extended hollow dome portion lilila enclosing the ring nut Hi4 and may have an oil retaining ring packing liiii between it and the shaft 15 to seal the space therebetween.

Operation of modified form In the operation of the modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the wire-filled spool It! may be removed from the mandrel M by loosening the set screw 82 and axially sliding the collar assembly iii The tapered sleeve plug IE. will be removed with the collar Bl, but does not become separated therefrom due to the stop ring 86. The spool lil may now be removed from the mandrel M by sliding it axially and replaced with an empty spool.

The empty spool will be arranged with the drive pin 99 fitted into its socket, as shown. The collar ill will then be replaced on the reduced end 8d of the mandrel M, causing the tapered sleeve plugs 12 and 13 to enter the bore ll of the spool Hi.

This action compresses the springs 98 and 94 and places the sleeve plugs 12 and 13 firmly against the opposite ends of the bore ll, regardless of variations in the diameter of the bore. The set screw 82 will finally be tightened and the machine will then be ready for the operation of winding wire upon the spool lil.

While there have been disclosed in this specification two forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a spooling machine, means to support a spool having end plate members and a tubular center member extending between said end plate members, said means including a pair of opposed supports movable relatively to each other, opposed alined flanges, one at each end of said spool, each of said flanges having an axially directed end portion extending from a face thereof toward the spool to engage the adjacent plate member of the spool to clamp it therebetween, and a spindle ex- FE tending from its other face, each of said spindles being mounted for free rotation in one of said supports, a pair of conical members mounted one in each spindle and adapted to move axially to enter the ends of said center member to locate the spool concentric to the rotatable flanges, stop means to prevent the entire removal of each of said conical members from said tubular member when the spool is in clamped position between said flanges, and spring means to constantly urge each of said conical members axially into the bore of said tubular member.

2. In a spooling machine, mechanism to clamp and center a spool having end flanges and a central connecting tubular member, said mechanism including a pair of opposed ring-shaped spoolengaging elements, a support for each element, one of said supports being axially movable relatively to the other to clamp a spool between said elements by their engagement with said end flanges, each of said elements being mounted on said support for free rotation and retained against axial movement relatively thereto, a springpresssed conical member carried by each of said elements and slidable axially relatively thereto to enter the bore in the adjacent end of said tubular member in advance of the engagement of said elements with the spool flanges, and stop means to prevent the entire removal of said conical members from the tubular member when the spool is clamped between said elements.

3. In a spooling machine, mechanism to rotatably support a spool having end flanges driven by a running endless belt in engagement with the material being wound on the periphery of the spool, including a pair of opposed spool flangeengaging plates, a support for each plate, said plates being freely rotatable in said supports and retained against axial movement relatively thereto, one of said supports being axially movable relatively to the other to clamp a spool between said plates by their engagement with said spool end flanges, a conical member carried by and rotated with. each of said plates and slidable axially relatively thereto to enter the bore in the adjacent end of said tubular member in advance of the engagement of the plate with the spool end flange thereat, stop means to prevent the entire removal of said conical members from the bore of the tubular member when the spool is clamped between said plates, and spring means arranged to constantly urge each of said conical members into the bore of said tubular member to counteract the tendency of the conical members moving axially outwardly from the bore under the influence of the transverse pressure or the running belt on the spool.

42. In a spooling machine wherein a running belt is arranged to drivingly engage the material being wound on the periphery of a spool having end flanges to rotate it, means to counteract the pressure of the belt on the spool and to maintain the axis of the spool substantially parallel to the face of the belt, including a pair of opposed spool flange-engaging plates, a support for each plate, said plates being freely rotatable relatively to their supports, one of said supports being axially movable relatively to the other to clamp a spool between the plates by their engagement with said end flanges, spring-pressed conical members carried by each of said plates and slidable axially relatively thereto to enter and be retained in the bore of the spool, and stop means to prevent the entire removal of said conical members from the bore of the spool when the spool is clamped between said plates.

5. In a spooling machine wherein a running belt is arranged to drivingly engage the material being wound on the periphery of a spool having end flanges, means to counteract the pressure of the belt on the spool and to maintain the axis of the spool substantially parallel to the face of the belt,

including a pair of opposed spool flange-engaging plates,a support for each plate, said plates being freely rotatablerelatively to their supports, one of said supports being axially movable relatively to the other to clamp a spool between the plates by their engagement with said end flanges, a conical member carried by each of said plates and slidable axially relatively thereto to enter and be retained in the bore of said spool, stop means to prevent the entire removal of said conical members from the bore of th spool when the latter is clamped between said plates, and spring means acting on said conical members to constantly urge each of said conical members into the bore of said spool to counteract the tendency of the conical members moving axially out of the bore under the influence or the transverse pressure of the running belt on the spool.

6. In a spooling machine for rotating a spool having a pair of end flanges connected by a tubular center member, support means, means to detachably hold said spool on said support means comprising a pair of spring-pressed conical annular plugs slidably carried by said support means and adapted to adjustably enter the ends of said tubular center member to locate said spool concentrically, said support means being adjustable and having means to engage the exterior of said flanges to prevent said spool from tilting with respect to the axis of rotation, and stop means to prevent the entire removal of said plugs from said support means when said spool is removed therefrom.

WILLIAM D. PIERSON. RAYMOND E. WALSH. 

